Blockchain
"Do you smell that?" Professor Reed asked his assistant. While studying the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest, he noticed a faint scent of wet manure in the soil. He imagined the myriad animals that relied on the stream for water and the food sources they consumed. In this part of the PNW during winter, food was scarce. The team had set up trail cameras at this location and in the clearing beyond the trees lining the river, which was a known migration path for moose, elk, mule deer, coyotes, and bears. The bend of the river was near this eco-highway in the protected Washington state forest they studied. They were close to the edge of the clearing between the river and the greenway, a final pitstop for migrating herds seeking water. Reed could read the signs of ecological activity like most people read freeway signs. This spot was crucial for each species, like a crossroads.
His assistant nodded. "Like... poop?"
"Exactly. Have the team add notes about the smell, dampness, and compactness of the soil to their reports. We'll analyze it in the lab and draw our conclusions." Reed then noticed the assistant's dog. "What's that on his coat?"
"Oh?" The assistant turned. "He likes to roll around in the smelliest thing he can find. He's pretty good at finding mushrooms. Truffles and puffballs are his favorites because they're the stinkiest."
Reed paused, struck by a thought. He looked up at the tree tops, noting the canopy's distinct line of separation. He then examined the soil, glanced towards the stream, and back to the greenway. He scrunched his nose. He envisioned the mycelium lines connecting the trees and the larger biome. Previous spore analyses indicated most animals here had a limited diet. Soil bacterial analysis showed high concentrations of chemicals and minerals essential for sustaining healthy nematode and tardigrade populations. He knew sugars and starches were exchanged between mushroom and tree roots, bolstering the trees' immunity to parasites and resilience to fire.
An idea struck him. He would begin "tasting" the soil—not by eating dirt, but by collecting and analyzing the local mushrooms.
In the following months, the assistant's East Siberian Laika became a mushroom-hunting expert for the team. Each type of mushroom was identified, cataloged, and documented before the edible ones were enjoyed back at camp. Reed's palate became attuned to the flavor of each variety. The detailed data they gathered about the areas they studied was astonishing. Reed concluded that a multi-year project was necessary to understand why everything was interconnected in this isolated ecosystem. He tracked every aspect with meticulous precision.
